Essay on The Settings of the Scarlet Letter - 977 Words

Settings of Scarlet Letter The settings in The Scarlet Letter are very important in displaying the themes of the novel. The settings in this novel are almost characters, for they are an important part in developing the story. The scaffold, the forest, the prison, and Hester’s cottage are settings that show sin and its consequences result in shame and suffering. The scaffold shows how the punishment imposed on us by others may not be as destructive as the guilt we impose on ourselves. When Hester was standing on the scaffold she is not thinking about being punished. She is having flashbacks to earlier times and feeling guilty for what she had done. The scaffold is a platform used for redemption and a symbol of the harsh Puritan code.†¦show more content†¦The brook represents a wall. Pearl exclaims that she will not cross the brook because Hester is not wearing her letter. Pearl is not recognizing her mother without the letter. This makes Pearl not cross the brook. As s oon as Hester puts the letter back on, Pearl crosses the brook. To Dimmesdale the brook becomes a boundary between two worlds, a world of peace and freedom and a world of lies and guilt. Across the brook lies freedom from his sin. The brook represents Pearl. The brook has an unknown source, and Pearl also has an unknown source. This means that most people do not know where the brook or Pearl came from. Another similarity between the two is that the brook travels through a dark and often evil forest, yet it never stops traveling. This is true for Pearl also for throughout her whole life she has been unwillingly placed into the evil and sorrow that her mother deals with and just as the brook, she keeps on going. The prison is a symbol of isolation and alienation. The prison is a representation of a punishment for sin. The Puritans have a strict code and they do not allow adultery to be unpunished. This causes them to put Hester in prison and also they make her wear the scarlet letter. The prison is a foreshadowing about the life that Hester and the others involved with this sin will live even after she leaves the prison. While Hester lives in the prison of alienation, Dimmesdale lives in the prison of his secret sin, and Chillingworth imprisonsShow MoreRelatedThe Scarlet Letter : Essential Settings1231 Words   |  5 PagesThe Scarlet Letter has two essential settings. They include the Massachusetts Bay Colony during the mid 17-century (the town), and the forest which surrounds the town. Hester, Dimmesdale, Pearl, Chillingworth and the other characters all live in the town. It is Puritan town, and they really believe in purity, and punishments for not being â€Å"pure† were extremely harsh. The entire Puritan community is based heavily around enforcing law and religion. The forest/woods that surround in the town is alsoRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter : Essential Settings1231 Words   |  5 PagesThe Scarlet Letter has two essential settings. They include t he Massachusetts Bay Colony during the mid 17-century (the town), and the forest which surrounds the town. Hester, Dimmesdale, Pearl, Chillingworth and the other characters all live in the town. It is Puritan town, and they really believe in purity, and punishments for not being â€Å"pure† were extremely harsh. The entire Puritan community is based heavily around enforcing law and religion. The forest/woods that surround in the town is alsoRead MoreComparing The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthrone and The Crucible by Arthur Miller1394 Words   |  6 Pagesdeemed unfit for society. Two works of literature that display both aspects of this society very accurately are The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel   Hawthorne, and The Crucible, by Arthur Miller. 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John Hathorne ( Nathaniel H. great uncle ) is also an anti-transcendentalist . The book that John wrote that goes with The Scarlet Letter is The Ministers Black Veil. It as well as this novel talks about Secret sin and how the world is good and people are dark and mysterious. Nathaniels book The Scarlet Letter talks about Secret Sin , Revenge ,Read MoreAnalysis Of The From The Scarlet Letter 959 Words   |  4 Pagesthe Scarlet Letter The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is one of the most iconic books in history; its storyline, theme and literal characters have made an impact on the world of literature for hundreds of years. What stands out the most in the book is the use of archaic diction and figurative language, which serve to paint vivid, descriptive pictures of each character, specifically, Roger Chillingworth. In chapter nine of The Scarlet Letter, ‘The Leech†, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses setting, allusionRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter : Wilderness Vs. Society1259 Words   |  6 Pages Wilderness vs. society In the novel Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne presenting the idea for humans to endure the laws of nature and conscience, rather than following the laws of man, to fulfill happiness. The novel consists of a young woman named Hester Prynne carrying her infant daughter named Pearl. The golden letter A embroidered on Hester’s bosom symbolizes adultery, a vile sin which is looked down upon in her community. She encounters